Starke County Surveyor to Burn Brush Collected from Storm Sewer Project

Posted on Author WKVI

Starke County Surveyor, Dennis Estok, appeared before the Knox City Council last week to ask for permission to burn off brush collected from the John Street storm system maintenance project. The County has jurisdiction over about 1,000 feet that drains into the Cavanaugh ditch. Excavating crews are coming in soon to channel that portion to give it a uniform slope to the outlet into the ditch.

Estok said there is brush and debris in the system as well as sediment.

The Council gave its permission to burn the brush. Estok estimated it would be only two small piles.

Tony Stewart Visits with Fans in Lakeville

Posted on Author WKVI
Tony Stewart talks to the fans during a question and answer session at the Lakeville event

NASCAR driver, Tony Stewart, was in Lakeville yesterday to speak to fans and sign autographs at the Newton Center. The event was sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tire and Stewart appreciates that the Newton family has always stood by him throughout his career. Tony talked about what it’s like to be both an owner and a driver:

“It’s just a lot of time, I mean it’s a ton of time, a ton of pressure, especially trying to do both roles as a driver and an owner,” said Stewart. “It makes you appreciate guys like Jack Rausch, Rick Hendrick, Joe Gibbs, Richard Childress, and Michael Waltrip and all these guys who have multi-car teams. It’s definitely not an easy business by any means.”

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Pulaski County Health Department to Hold Immunization Clinic

Posted on Author WKVI

The Pulaski County Health Department will be offering a walk-in clinic on Monday, August 15th from 3:00-7:00 p.m. ET for children that still need their immunizations for school.

Children in grades Kindergarten through 12th grade can receive immunizations for $8.00 per shot and if you are on Medicaid, you will need to bring a Medicaid card with you and Medicaid will be billed directly. Parents should take the child’s immunization card with you at the time of the visit.

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Starke County Prosecutor to Review Autopsy Report in South Bend

Posted on Author WKVI

Starke County Prosecutor, Nicholas Bourff said that he and Deputy Prosecutor Mary Ryan and two detectives will be headed to South Bend to gain information into the death of a Knox toddler that happened June 19th

“We’re meeting with the pathologist who did the forensic autopsy,” said Bourff. “It has taken him longer to do the autopsy than we originally anticipated because he’s done more work than we originally knew he would be doing.”

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Starke County Commissioners Approve Car Purchase for EMS Director

Posted on Author WKVI
Paul Mathewson

EMS Director Paul Mathewson approached the Starke County Commissioners Monday and requested the purchase of a vehicle for EMS use, as per their original agreement when he was hired. Mathewson says that the car would be used to come to work, go home, respond to calls, visit hospitals and other business use, and could also be used as a chase vehicle.

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Pulaski County Website Recently Hacked

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski County Commissioners Tracey Shorter, Kenneth Boswell, Michael Tiede

The Pulaski County website was recently hacked, and Nathan Origer from the CDC approached the Commissioners with an idea to prevent it from happening again.

Origer recently requested a quote from Golden Technologies in Valparaiso for security upgrades to address some obvious security issues on the website. Golden Technologies handled most of the work of building the website originally, and they also host and maintain the website for the county.

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Starke County Officials to Attend Corrections Conference in Colorado

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke County Jail

Starke County Commissioner Kathy Norem will lead a delegation from the County to the National Institute of Corrections Conference in Colorado. The conference, transportation, and lodging is paid by the Institute.

Joining Norem on the trip will be Starke County Councilman David Pearman, Sheriff Oscar Cowen, Jail Commander Greg Hewitt, and Chief Deputy Bill Dulin.

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Robbins Ditch Bridge Project Moves Forward

Posted on Author WKVI
County bridge #156 over the Robbins Ditch

Starke County Highway Superintendent, Steve Siddall told WKVI News that Bridge #156 over the Robbins Ditch at Range Road and 400 North is scheduled to go into the construction phase soon. Bids will be opened for construction work on August 4th.

Some immediacy was put on this bridge after it was closed because it is so heavily used by farmers. The fall season is a critical time for moving grain. The County Commissioners put a priority tag on #156 for this reason.

Engineering for the project is being done by Butler-Fairmont and Seufert, with Ken Minot, the representative.

Once construction begins, the bidder has 80 days to complete the work on the bridge.

Andy Howes Returns Home Today

Posted on Author WKVI
Andy Howes

Chief Warrant Officer, Andy Howes, returns to Knox today 41 years after being killed in action during the Vietnam War.

His remains were positively identified by a DNA match with family members.

He is the final member of a four-man helicopter crew to be returned for burial. After services here tomorrow, the remains will be flown to Arlington National Cemetery to his final resting place.

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Brett Kersey Arrested After Sexual Assault Investigation

Posted on Author WKVI
Brett Kersey faces several charges, including rape.

An investigation into a call received by the Starke County Sheriff’s Department regarding a sexual assault turned up enough evidence to arrest Brett Kersey for several charges including rape. At about 4 p.m. on July 28, the SCSD was informed that a victim of sexual assault was at I.U. Health Starke Hospital, and an investigation returned enough information for a search warrant to be granted for the residence of 0440 N. 700 E. in Knox.

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Katlynn Surfus Crowned Miss Harvest Fest

Posted on Author WKVI
Katlynn Surfus

Katlynn Surfus, a 16-year-old Knox High School Junior, was selected Saturday as the Hiss Harvest Days Queen.

“I’m very surprised,” she laughed. “I look forward to looking at all of the stuff with a new perspective now. I look forward to the bike contest every year. It’s always fun.”

“This is the second time I’ve been in this contest. I was first runner up last year and this year I got it.” Continue reading →

Community Helps Fill Food Pantry

Posted on Author WKVI
Cecilia Torres

Cecilia Torres, Services Coordinator at Community Services of Starke County, says the community has stepped up to the plate with donations to the Food Pantry.

Only three weeks ago, we were reporting that the Food Pantry had no food on the shelves and only one package of hot dogs was in the meat section.

Torres especially wanted to thank officials of the Starke County 4-H Fair Livestock Auction for directing bidders to the food pantry. A number of the winning bidders gave their purchases to the Food Pantry.

Cecilia said the bidders had turkeys, ducks and chickens dressed for distribution.

Knox Redskin Brigade Prepares for Another Season

Posted on Author WKVI

The Knox Redskin Brigade is in the middle of its summer camp and band members have been busy preparing for the fall marching season. Director Craige Phipps invites you to a community performance of the show “By the Water’s Edge” on Thursday, August 4th at 8:45 p.m. at the High School.

This year’s show tells the story of a watering hole that has been touched by man, infiltrated by man and then creating balance between man and beast in the environment.

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Pulaski Memorial Hospital Sponsors Baby Shower for Tot Shop

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski Memorial Hospital

This week is World Breast Feeding Week and Sharon Berry, OB Nurse Manager at Pulaski Memorial Hospital, says the Hospital staff is encouraging the public to be aware of this healthy choice.

“Here at Pulaski Memorial Hospital, we are very proud to be working at a Hospital that recognizes the importance breast feeding has on the health of our community,” said Berry. “Our OB Department has started the pathway to becoming a baby friendly hospital. The baby friendly hospital initiative assists hospitals in giving mothers the information, confidence and skills needed to be successful at breast feeding.”

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Knox Cruise Night is This Saturday

Posted on Author WKVI

The 5th Annual Knox Cruise Night is set for this Saturday, August 6th. Registration and instructions will begin at 4:00 p.m. at Sandy Acres Park and the cruise begins at 5:00 p.m. and ends at 6:30 p.m.

The route this year will take hot rods, motorcycles, custom and classic cars and trucks from Sandy Acres Park, north down Main Street, around the Starke County Courthouse and back down Main Street to Sandy Acres Park.

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Bass Lake Fest a Big Success!

Posted on Author WKVI
George Mammarella was the emcee of the parade

The Bass Lake Summer Splash Festival was held over the weekend and officials are calling the event a huge success.  The Bass Lake Summer Splash parade was held Sunday and George Mammarella was the emcee.  Enjoy these pictures from the parade!  The photos were provided. Continue reading →

Week in Review for July 25th-29th, 2011

Posted on Author WKVI

Here is just some of the news that made the news in the Kankakee Valley this week:

Gabriel French
Elizabeth Boyd
Joshua Givens

Gabriel French, Elizabeth Boyd and Joshua Givens were arrested Saturday after officers conducted a search warrant at a residence in Knox and found active methamphetamine labs.

Brian Ball of Bass Lake suffered a concussion after a tree fell on him while he was putting up a tent in his yard. Ball’s neighbor, Jim O’Hara, found him unconscious and performed CPR on Ball when he couldn’t find a pulse. Continue reading →